According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), microplastics (MPs) can be found everywhere in the environment including the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Scientists have found microplastic particles in rivers and lakes on remote islands, the clouds above Mount Fuji, and the snow in Antarctica, emphasizing their ubiquitous presence across the globe.

But what are they? What are these micro-nuisances that are creating a macro-problem?